Alistairr
Active member
It has been brought my attention this morning........
Press Notice No: Duty Notic
Tuesday, August 3, 2004
Posted 00:44 GMT
STORNOWAY COASTGUARD HELICOPTER RESCUES FOUR FROM SINKING YACHT 200 MILES WEST OF MAINLAND
An emergency operation has been launched to rescue four people from a sinking yacht in the North Atlantic.
At just after 8.36 p.m. this evening an emergency call was received from `The Spirit’, a 35ft American-registered ketch which was in distress 200 miles north west of Stornoway on Lewis with four men on board. The crew reported that they were from Portsmouth with one crew member from Canada. The original distress call had been picked up by the Coastguard in Halifax, Nova Scotia from a beacon alert from on board the vessel and was passed to the UK. The vessel was on passage from Belfast to Reykjavik in Iceland.
The Coastguard Rescue helicopter `Mike Uniform’ was scrambled and an RAF Nimrod aircraft was also launched from Kinloss to provide top cover for the helicopter.
The crew from the vessel reported that they had been hit by a wave which had fractured the hull and that they were taking water. They were also wearing survival suits and required immediate assistance.
They reported that the water was up to the gunwales and the deck was awash. They also had lifejackets and a liferaft. One crew member was suffering from shock. They reported that they were cold and had hand held torches, but that the batteries were running low. The crew had also cleared an area on the sinking yacht of two metres by two metres to allow for a winchman from the helicopter to be lowered to the deck. All aerials had also been removed.
The Coastguard also broadcast a mayday signal into the area for any other vessel to assist. The Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) vessel `Fort George’ responded and is currently on her way to the yachts position. This vessel can also provide fuel for the helicopter and had medical facilities on board in the case of a medical emergency
As the Nimrod aircraft circled the area and was ready to drop rescue crafts for the men, the Coastguard rescue helicopter was able to winch a man down to the deck and take all four off at just after midnight before heading back towards the RFA vessel.
I think the MCGA have got slightly wrong with it not being a ketch and infact being Alan Priddy and the Spirit of Cardiff.
Does any one know anything further? Dom??
Also is this link to the BBC news. <A target="_blank" HREF=http://arweb.co.uk/argallery/alistair?&page=1> My Pictures, Please take a Look.
Press Notice No: Duty Notic
Tuesday, August 3, 2004
Posted 00:44 GMT
STORNOWAY COASTGUARD HELICOPTER RESCUES FOUR FROM SINKING YACHT 200 MILES WEST OF MAINLAND
An emergency operation has been launched to rescue four people from a sinking yacht in the North Atlantic.
At just after 8.36 p.m. this evening an emergency call was received from `The Spirit’, a 35ft American-registered ketch which was in distress 200 miles north west of Stornoway on Lewis with four men on board. The crew reported that they were from Portsmouth with one crew member from Canada. The original distress call had been picked up by the Coastguard in Halifax, Nova Scotia from a beacon alert from on board the vessel and was passed to the UK. The vessel was on passage from Belfast to Reykjavik in Iceland.
The Coastguard Rescue helicopter `Mike Uniform’ was scrambled and an RAF Nimrod aircraft was also launched from Kinloss to provide top cover for the helicopter.
The crew from the vessel reported that they had been hit by a wave which had fractured the hull and that they were taking water. They were also wearing survival suits and required immediate assistance.
They reported that the water was up to the gunwales and the deck was awash. They also had lifejackets and a liferaft. One crew member was suffering from shock. They reported that they were cold and had hand held torches, but that the batteries were running low. The crew had also cleared an area on the sinking yacht of two metres by two metres to allow for a winchman from the helicopter to be lowered to the deck. All aerials had also been removed.
The Coastguard also broadcast a mayday signal into the area for any other vessel to assist. The Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) vessel `Fort George’ responded and is currently on her way to the yachts position. This vessel can also provide fuel for the helicopter and had medical facilities on board in the case of a medical emergency
As the Nimrod aircraft circled the area and was ready to drop rescue crafts for the men, the Coastguard rescue helicopter was able to winch a man down to the deck and take all four off at just after midnight before heading back towards the RFA vessel.
I think the MCGA have got slightly wrong with it not being a ketch and infact being Alan Priddy and the Spirit of Cardiff.
Does any one know anything further? Dom??
Also is this link to the BBC news. <A target="_blank" HREF=http://arweb.co.uk/argallery/alistair?&page=1> My Pictures, Please take a Look.
